Fifth Sunday of the ordinary time- Feb. 8
Them: God is a person who can change people
Whether we turn on the radio or television or read the newspapers for the latest news, the headlines are getting as grim as the economic crisis. Whether one calls this phenomenon recession or slowdown, the fact is that each day there is more and more news about layoffs, shutdowns, and foreclosures. There was a time when I would think that this could not happen to us, but today everybody in one way or other is affected by the crisis. Many of us have cut down on gifts for the holidays; others have cancelled travel plans, and yet others have decided to save while they can for the coming anxious days. The most apparent effect of the economic downturn is the somber mood of most people. It is as if each person is carrying a heavy load of burden. And indeed they are.
In today’s’ reading we see people with a heavy load of burden coming to God and praying to Him. For instance job’s suffering, Paul’s commitment to the preaching of the word of God and his struggles because of his commitment to preaching and in the gospel, Simon’s mother in-law and other people were brought to Jesus for comfort and healing.
Look at Job’s life-- In the first reading we have Job, that legendary model of long-suffering patience, is speaking of the tiresomeness of life. “Is not a man’s life on earth nothing more than drudgery? Like the slave, sighing for the shade or the workman with no thought but his wages… Lying in bed I wonder, ‘When shall I rise?’ At one time, Job had everything going for him. Blameless and upright, he feared God and turned away from evil. He had seven sons and three daughters, all riches and possessions so that he was the greatest of all the people of the East. Within a period of time, Job lost everything that he had, his sons and daughters, all his animals and his servants. But amidst this, Job remained faithful to God. Finally he was filled with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. When Job was going through hard times, all deserted him. In all his suffering, perhaps Job did not know that he was being tested by God to see if he would remain faithful to the service of the Lord. He did not know that Satan was challenging Job regarding his loyalty to God. Here we have a lesson for each of us. No matter what happens in life, we should always think spiritually in order to try to understand the grace of God at work in our lives.
Paul’s life was equally intriguing. Paul shares with us today his own experience. We heard how he remained faithful in the service of the Lord. He says that he does not boast about being a preacher of the Gospel. It was a task given him to do. I have made myself a slave to all. After his conversion, Paul’s life was a mixture of grace and suffering. As he himself recounts in his letter, five times he received the infamous thirty-nine lashes, was beaten three times with rods, was shipwrecked three times, and floated in the deep waters for a whole day and night. He faced dangers from robbers, from fellow Jews and from the perils of nature; he faced sleepless nights, hunger, thirst, cold, and exposure. Finally, he too was imprisoned and martyred by the Emperor Nero around 60-62 AD.
Three practical applications
1. Comfort and consolation comes from the knowledge of God’s presence in and around us. In other words, if we make the effort to nurture God’s presence in us, if we consciously cultivate intimacy with God, and if we strive to live in God’s presence, then that same presence becomes the cause for our comfort.
2. God is a not a god with rubber neck but understanding and faithfulness to people. Job does not answer the reason for suffering. But for him it was a test of his faith and revelation that god is faithful and a god who suffered for us. In this analysis, God for us is a God who comes to “bring glad tiding to the poor, to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to prisoners, to announce a day of vindication by our God.” Who among us can say that justice prevails in our economic or political system? Who among us can say that our policies cater first to the poor and broken hearted? Who among us can say that godliness prevails in our society? Commitment to the God within us means that we strive to create a society that is based on justice, on genuine brotherhood and sisterhood, and on self-sacrifice. Sometimes it means that we question the oppressive systems that dehumanize people. Sometimes it means that we oppose the sinful structures of society that rob people of their dignity. Striving for the dignity that God gave us is not communism or socialism; striving for human dignity is being prophetic as Job, Paul and Jesus were. In other words, comfort and solace comes from total abandonment into the hands of the God of justice, peace, life and love.
3. Comfort is given through the commitment to others. For me, the most baffling aspect of Job and Paul’s life is their commitment. Job had a commitment to God and Paul to God and to the people to whom he was sent in spite of the personal risk it involved. Their attention was never focused on themselves but rather on God and those around them. Their persecution and suffering became their motivation to reach out even more to others. Ancient characters like Peter and Paul, and modern saints like Dorothy Day, Mother Teresa, and Archbishop Oscar Romero teach us there is no joy like reaching out to others from our own pain. Whereas there is joy in reaching out to others from our abundance, but there even greater joy in reaching out to others from our own suffering. This is why Job in his suffering, Paul in his preaching and of course Jesus in his compassionate healing of people has brought good news to them. May our lives also reflect the compassion of Jesus! The story of the insight film ‘God in the doc’”. Four people brought God to the Doc for a judgment. First the politician, he said “See the corruption, violence, economic recession in the society, It is God you who are responsible, what have you done for us” He took stones and threw at God. Then a mother came forward and made the accusations angrily “God you see that there is no peace in home, broken families, divorces, abortion etc. It is you who are responsible for it, what have you done for us? She took stones and threw stones at God. Then a young man came. He said “There is unemployment, I have studied much and I have no job, I am in despair. There is drug abuse, Go you are responsible what have you done for us.” He took stones and threw at God. Then a student came, she said, she complained to God “ I am not able to study because my mom and dad fight with each other at home, I am not able to study well, we friend are jealous of one another and fight.” It is you who are responsible for it, what have you done for us? She took stones and threw stones at God. God who is weak and wounded gets up answers “What I have done for you?”I created you all in my image and likeness to love and to support? It is you who are responsible what have you done?This Eucharist is such a beautiful expression of each of the three points that scripture makes us aware of. Here we come into the presence of God, here we come as children of God, and here we express our commitment to each other. Let us first of all invite Jesus into our lives. And let us go from this Eucharist assured of God’s presence in our lives. And may that presence inspire us to bring God’s love to others and joy in our own hearts. Amen.
